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concealment writes "In addition to potentially keeping Google's search and email programs from overheating, the pond also has become home to plenty of algae, which meant Google had to stock it with fish. And since this is the Lowcountry, the food chain didn't stop there. 'So we now have a 4-foot alligator that has taken up residence in our pond as well,' Kava said, clearly amused. He added that government experts have said it'll have to be removed once it grows to six feet long."

The depth just determines the temperature of the water. If you don't need the water to be as cold as possible, the lake doesn't have to be that deep. If you're trying to cool from ambient to something more comfortable, you need to have colder water. If you're trying to cool a server from really hot to just above ambient, ambient water is sufficient.

My father tells a story of being a campus radical at his university during the late '60s. At one point, he and a few of his compatriots had taken control of a campus building from the university. Members of the university staff had come to meet with them in the building in order to negotiate terms for the return of the building. As the meeting was going on, some other folks, clearly more radical than my father (and apparently looking rather ragged and worse for wear, for reasons I'll say in just a moment), opened up the door to the meeting room and pushed in an actual, living mountain lion. To say the least, my father's group and the university staff quickly discovered that they had more in common than they had thought as they all made a scramble for an exit.

So, he can attest to the fact that dangerous animals can have a profound impact on negotiations. I'd imagine that a four-foot gator wouldn't be nearly as threatening, however. When I was growing up in south Florida, we used to visit Loxahatchee [wikipedia.org] for field trips, and we'd routinely be within a few feet of gators that were much larger than the one in this pond, with no barriers or other protection keeping them from us. Granted, as a third or fourth grader I had little sense for what sorts of danger I might be in, but the adults always seemed to be fine with it and not consider the trip an actual hazard.

As someone who spent a decade living in the drained swapland areas of central Florida, IMHO anyone who hangs around 10+ foot gators during mating season is an idiot. Some just get to live through the experience because there aren't quite enough gators to eat all y'all.

First, is it legal to work in the state. Second, does it fit any of our affirmative action categories. I know it isn't easy being green... but it feels wrong to hire an alligator when we can get a much more ambitious and qualified crocodile.

I am disappointed in you Slashdot, you have all missed the point. This is clearly part of an evil scheme from Google and you've let it pass as you normally do.

Work with me here. Think evil geniuses. What do they have in common? That's right, a secret lair. Any anyone who has a secret lair needs its defenses. Clearly Google is developing their secret lair RIGHT OUT IN THE OPEN. My caps lock underscores the importance and urgency of what I am saying and is cruise control for cool.

So, they have their "cooling water". Only an idiot would believe that. It is clearly a moat. Yes, a medieval moat. The alligator is just the first in their armada of beasts to protect their new evil lair. I have it ON HIGHEST AUTHORITY that they will next be buying some SHARKS and LASERS (more caps locks to convince you of my authority on the subject). You can only imagine what they will do next.

An evil plot SO OBVIOUS BUT SLASHDOT IGNORES IT. Are you outraged? You should be. Are you surprised? You shouldn't be.Once I am back from taking my meds I will tell you more about Google and the trilateral commission. That is if "THEY" don't get me first.

Cover the pond and it doesn't cool as quickly, and you still have the mosquito problem. You additionally now have a roof to maintain. I think that their solution is probably one of the best possible in that it saves energy, creates a wetland ecosystem where none existed previously, and is very low maintenance. Personally I'd enjoy watching an alligator and some herons hunting during my lunch breaks, YMMV.

Many heavy industries have cooling ponds. The problems are routine and known.

I once worked for a company near Detroit which made heavy hydraulic equipment. The R&D operation had a building full of test cells in which locomotive transmissions and similar big stuff was exercised for months on end. The dummy loads for the machines dumped the energy into water [wikipedia.org]. The water went to a cooling pond in front of the plant. The pond was made to look like a large decorative fountain with water sprays. But it was

Please note that while currently in compliance, your alligator will have to be removed when it reaches the current standard alligator removal length of 6 feet. Attached is a copy of form 6-423-100001, alligator removal entrance authorization and indemnification application. Please review, sign, and submit in triplicate. An inspector will be out shortly. Please note that we cannot guarantee the inspector wi